York Prof’s new book explores crucial link between Ontario’s environment and economy

TORONTO – A York University professor’s new book offers the first comprehensive study of Ontario’s environmental policy and what it may spell for our future.

Blue-Green Province, which launches Feb. 9, 2012, explores the relationship between the environment and Ontario’s society, politics and economy through the Progressive Conservative dynasty of premiers Drew, Frost, Robarts and Davis, the “quiet” and “common sense” revolutions of Peterson, Rae and Harris, through to the McGuinty era.

Authored by Mark Winfield, associate professor in York’s Faculty of Environmental Studies (FES), the book includes examinations of the 2011 federal and provincial election outcomes and their implications for future environmental and energy policy in Ontario and Canada.

“The province is searching for a way to regain its pre-eminent status in Confederation, but its managerially-oriented government has seemed unable to articulate a compelling vision for the way forward,” says Winfield.

The following appeared in the January 30th edition of YFile.

Research Month this February will celebrate the achievements and diversity of York University’s research community.

Every Wednesday throughout the month, Vari Hall Rotunda will play host to displays and demonstrations featuring the University’s faculty and graduate researchers. Drop by to learn what they are up to. IRIS will be on display February 8th!

“Research Month provides an opportunity for the York community to share knowledge and ideas as we celebrate excellence in research and scholarship at the University,” said Robert Haché, vice-president research & innovation. “We invite students, staff and faculty to drop by Vari Hall on Wednesdays in February to explore the many research projects and to learn more about the range of research activities at York.”

The Research Month index on York’s Research website contains complete information about the researchers and research centres and institutes participating in the event.

Social sciences and humanities research – Feb. 1, from noon to 2pm.

Press Release by York U Media Relations, also released by YFile.

TORONTO, January 19, 2012 – Invasive alien species are on the move in response to a warming climate but Canadian policies designed to manage the problem rarely consider how climate change is ratcheting up the risk, according to York University research published today in the journal Environmental Reviews.

“The interactive effects of climate change and invasive species are expected to have profound consequences for environments, economies and societies worldwide, says lead author Andrea Smith (pictured). “For example, many new infectious diseases will likely spread to theArctic, and coordinated circumpolar disease monitoring and targeted healthcare planning will be needed to handle this new pressure. Yet, these two drivers of global change are rarely considered jointly in policy and management initiatives.”

Smith, now a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Biology atYorkUniversity, conducted the research review while a senior fellow atYork’s Institute for Research and Innovation in Sustainability (IRIS).

Should the human rights responsibilities of companies arise, in part, from their “leverage” – their ability to influence others’ actions through their relationships? Special Representative John Ruggie rejected this proposition in the United Nations Framework for business and human rights.

During the next instalment of the McLaughlin College Lunchtime Talks, taking place today at noon, Osgoode Hall Law School Professor Stepan Wood (left) will argue that leverage is a source of responsibility where there is a morally significant connection between the company and a rights-holder or rights-violator, the company is able to make a contribution to ameliorate the situation. Wood will argue that it can do so at modest cost and the threat to human rights is substantial.

In such circumstances, posits Wood, companies have a responsibility to exercise leverage even though they did nothing to contribute to the situation.

The following appeared in the Wednesday, January 11th edition of YFile.

In December, two York graduate students attended the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Durban, South Africa as non-voting delegates with observer status.

On Thursday, Ewa Modlinska, an MES student in environmental studies, and Alex Todd, an MA candidate in geography, will share their observations on the COP 17 Debrief panel, in 120E Stedman Lecture Hall from 3 to 5pm.

Right: York delegates, from left, MES student Ewa Modlinska, Curtis Kuunuaq Konek and Jordan Konek from the Arviat Youth Project, and MA student Alex Todd

The COP 17 Debrief panel is hosted by York’s Institute for Research & Innovation in Sustainability, which successfully applied for delegate status to the conference on behalf of York University in 2009, and sponsored Modlinska and Todd.

Modlinska will speak about the importance of listening at international climate change conferences. It is the topic of her fourth and final blog posted about the conference.